


Photograph

by sergiosbaby



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Photographer, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Implied Sexual Content, Jealousy, Modeling, Mutual Pining, Photography, Slow Burn, What Was I Thinking?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:20:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26856577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sergiosbaby/pseuds/sergiosbaby
Summary: SERQUEL AUWhen Sergio Marquina, a world-class photographer, gets asked by his brother Andres to do a photoshoot with one of his new models, Raquel Murrilo, neither of them expect it to be the event that changes their lives forever.
Relationships: Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 44
Kudos: 96





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi darlings!
> 
> Yes, I know, make fun of me, I finally decided to upload Photograph on here for all of you. I know it's hard waiting for a fic that's on a current hiatus, but I promise, once I finish my new one-shot, I'll be back to update this story once more! For now, you can re-read this, and silently curse at me for not updating. I love you all, enjoy this story!

There was something in the air today.

Sergio’s mother had a name for these types of days. "Little Blessings" she called them, when the morning sun hit just right, the breakfast you had was delicious, and it seemed like nothing could stop you from doing whatever you dreamed of doing.

He could only pray today was one of those days. He was running late to a photoshoot, an important one at that, and if he turned up late, Andres would go on and on about how he needs to be earlier to things next time. He would rather not hear another one of his brother’s complaints, so what he needed to do was hurry the fuck up.

Thankfully, his Uber came in a (surprisingly) short amount of time, and before he knew it, he was on his way to another one of Andres’s extravagant company buildings. The city of Los Angeles flies across his eyes, and he begins to think about why he is even here in the first place. Sergio never does these types of photoshoots, mainly because at least one of the models in his brother’s company would always try to flirt with him after. Whether they are actually attracted to him or they want to get closer to Andres, Sergio will never know, but he always makes sure he never stays around long enough to find out. A photoshoot in LA one day, a flight to Switzerland or some other far-away country the next. You can never get inspired by staying in one place your whole life, which is why Sergio prefers hopping from one country to another instead of staying here, with his brother. However, Andres insisted this specific model was “special”, seeing as she had just joined the agency, and was extremely useful connections-wise.

“Hermanito, you don’t understand. Her parents are top-notch people. People who could definitely raise my company’s profits if they choose to do so. They asked me to accept her, I did. And now, I need my favorite brother to shoot her, because you are still the only photographer that can take amazing photos like that. No one else compares.”

“First of all, I am your only brother. And second, don’t you have other photographers waiting for a job like this? Anyone else could do it.”

“I only want the best for her, Sergio.”

“No, you want the money.”

“Well you aren’t wrong, but you can still see my point.”

Somehow, he lost that battle, and as the Uber pulls up to the front of the building, he thinks that yes, Andres will definitely pay him extra for this one.

\----------  
He enters the building, and the first things he sees are the full length glass windows, the huge “RESISTENCIA” logo plastered along the front wall, a multitude of people waiting in the lobby, and Monica, the building’s receptionist, answering a phone call by her desk. Sergio has had the pleasure of meeting Monica several times throughout the years, as she is the only employee Andres has been able to stand for ages (and if he’s being honest, probably the nicest person in this building).

She immediately spots him, and he sees a smile form on her face. Mirroring her expression, Sergio walks towards the desk to talk to her, and she greets him with a hug and a kiss on each cheek.

“Señor Marquina! Didn’t think you would be back here so soon.” She gave him a look that said it all. Sergio and his reputation was very well-known by the whole agency, but to see him here, like this? Not exactly a regular occurrence.

“Haha,” Sergio says with an exasperated smile on his face. Monica wasn’t close with him by any means, but he appreciated her sweet, friendly personality nonetheless. “Where’s my floor?”

“Oh!” Monica exclaims with a surprised look on her face. “I almost forgot you were here for that. Here it is, Floor 16, Gold Room.” She gives the keycard to Sergio, then moves back to sit down on her chair and gives him a small wave as he thanks her and moves towards the elevator.

“And um, Sergio?”

“Yes?” He looks back at her.

“I know you don’t date by any means, but the girl you’re shooting? You might wanna give her a chance.” She winks at him as his cheeks heat up at the discomfort that the prospect brought.

“Thank you, Monica, but I’ll be going up now.” Sergio says, with the blush slowly spreading throughout his face. She laughs and motions for him to enter the elevator.

As the elevator doors close and start to go up, Sergio reflects back to the moment he just had with Monica. While they have become friends over time, he would’ve never imagined her saying something like that. Is this certain model really that special? Andres never showed him pictures of her as he usually forgets to do so every time Sergio asks. The curiosity was starting to take over his brain, as the floor number went higher and higher. Finally, he arrived at his desired floor. Sergio was starting to get more nervous each step that he took towards the Gold Room that Monica mentioned. This “model” he was about to shoot may very well be a famous celebrity, and Andres just didn’t want to worry him by saying so. He never liked the spotlight, so was his brother just tricking him into something he didn’t want to do?

He opened the door and was met with an absolute mess. The employees running around, setting up the props, people fixing the lights, the makeup artists and stylists cleaning up the dressing room, and in the center of it all-

The most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his entire life.

\--------

When Raquel woke up today, she didn’t know that she would be greeted with a car outside her door, waiting for her to bring her to the shoot. She didn’t know that she would spill coffee on herself in the rush to get to the said car. She didn’t know that the minute she got to the venue, that the stylist would go absolutely crazy trying to fix the bent leaf on the right sleeve of her dress, and the makeup artist going on and on about how she should’ve gotten there earlier.

But what she definitely didn’t know? Is that her photographer was going to be handsome as hell.

Of course, she’s heard the stories. Sergio Marquina, the photographer of the century, the legend himself. Junior models would talk for hours about how handsome he was, and the senior models would always tell them about the time that he took their photo, and would never shut up about it. It was as if the man was that special.

As much as Raquel loves RESISTENCIA and the gracious way they’ve been treating her, sucking up to people was never her cup of tea. She wasn’t about to start either, even when every other model here treated the two brothers as gods. Sergio as the mysterious, cold-hearted, shy one, and Andres as the rich bad boy who liked throwing extravagant parties every weekend. Truth be told, Raquel practically grew up with boys like them, and it never turned out well for her. 

But seeing that man, standing in the doorway, practically devouring her with his eyes, staring at her the same way she was? It almost made her want to go down that path all over again. He looked like the shy, intellectual type, but the type that would also make you scream in bed. Raquel felt an irresistible pull towards him, something she just couldn’t resist, and she was about to go right up to him and say-

“HERMANITOOOOO!”

Well, so much for that. 

The next thing she could comprehend was Señor Fonollosa running towards the man and giving him a tight-squeezing hug, and she heard a muffled “Andres, let me go!”. Once he did so, he faced Raquel with a smile. “Raquel! This is my brother, Sergio. I understand this is your first photoshoot, so I asked him to tag along, help you out, make you feel comfortable.” He said with a smirk on his face.

Sergio muttered a small, “Sorry, I was late,” and gave her a smile, and Raquel felt like melting all over again. She looked at him, telling him it was fine, but he clearly felt bad about it, which she thought was absolutely adorable. How did he manage to switch facets in such a short amount of time? They stared at each other longer than necessary, the desire evident in their eyes, until Andres let out a small cough and they turned to face him, the awkwardness floating around the air. Andres gave Sergio another small smirk, and proceeded to clap his hands together. 

“Okay, let’s start the shoot!”

Suddenly the room felt suffocating again, with attendants rushing Raquel to the center of the set. The theme was Golden Autumn, with the brown leaves and gold sky, making it absolutely perfect for the designer’s fall collection. Raquel was to be shot in the main piece, a beautiful gold dress with golden leaves covering the whole gown. She had to admit, she was impressed by this piece. While the stylist was fixing the final touches on the dress, she watched Sergio set up his cameras in front. It was evident in his movements, the care and love which he had for his art, making sure each beam of light hit her perfectly and that his camera was properly calibrated to capture her beauty. He took off his coat to make the whole process easier, and did absolutely nothing to suppress Raquel’s arousal. She had never felt like this about a person before, and it was quite embarrassing to be unashamedly staring at your photographer like this. Her eyes roamed over his muscles that were straining against the fabric of his shirt with every movement he made, and she noticed that even some of the female attendants were gawking as well. Once he was done, she had to snap herself out of her daydream, and the moment he motioned to the attendants to move out of the set, the shoot started.

\---------

Sergio couldn’t stop himself from looking.

Yes, of course, it was his job after all to look at the model as it is a part of his professional protocol, but something about this felt illegal and impure. He never stared at a model while thinking about how beautiful her face was, or about how her body didn’t seem to have a single flaw; how her blonde hair flowed down her back as if she were a goddess, and her smile that could make anyone swoon with just a single look. He concluded that this woman was perfect, and it was his honor to be shooting her.

Oh my goodness. As unlikely as it is, he’s so attracted to her.

As much as the thought of dating someone seemed appealing to everyone else, it was never what Sergio wanted. He preferred to stay away from most people, because all they do is provide the drama and chaos that Sergio simply doesn’t need nor want in his life. He never has. He thrived in the peace that a life of solitude has brought him, but this woman—she’s something else. Suddenly, all Sergio wanted to do was take pictures of her for as long as she'd let him.

Before he knew it, he had enough shots to cover a whole magazine, and it was time for Raquel to change into her last outfit of the day: a beautiful brown pantsuit that hid a lacy bra behind it.

Great. As if he wasn’t already fucked.

Sergio, calm yourself. Just a few more minutes of shooting, and you can leave and pretend as if you never met her. 

After taking a few more shots, he couldn't quite get the angle that would be able to capture the beauty and sensuality that was Raquel Murillo.  
“A little more to the right please?” He asked. She moved herself to the desired position, but her face was turned the wrong way. His mind wasn’t able to stop his body from reacting instinctively; he reached out to place a finger on her chin, and turned her face to his.

Their eyes met, and Sergio was instantly struck by how gorgeous she was up close. They stayed like that for a few moments, his hand on her chin. The sound of her heavy breathing drowned out the noise and she was all he could comprehend.

He could get used to this.

Suddenly, he remembered where they were, and let go of her face, immediately apologizing as he did so. She gave him another one of those shy smiles, and Sergio wanted to do nothing else but take her someplace private, where he could appreciate her beauty in a more personal way.

He tried his best, he really did, but it was all he could think about while looking at her. After what felt like hours, he finally had the shot he wanted to end the day. He gave a thumbs up to the attendants, and they immediately began cleaning up the set. Sergio didn’t have the courage to look up and thank Raquel when it was over, scared that she might see his desire for her in his eyes, and he most definitely didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. He had plenty to focus on as of the moment though, with his cameras and equipment making a mess everywhere. It was a lengthy and tedious process of making sure that everything was properly stored. By the time he was finished, most of the employees had already cleaned up and left the room. He was about to leave as well, when suddenly-

“Um, Mr. Marquina? Raquel Murillo, the model, asked me to give this to you.”

He froze, his mind going into overdrive. What could she possibly want to give to him? She must’ve noticed it: the stares, the labored breathing, the overwhelming desire that exuded from every pore of his body throughout the entire shoot. He must own up to his actions and apologize; it’s the only proper way. She was probably horrified, seeing him drink her in like that.  
He took the piece of paper the attendant was holding, put it in his pocket, and quickly hurried to her dressing room. He flung the door open, ready to embarrass himself, when she turned around and faced him.

Holy shit. 

She walked up to him, in nothing but that stunning brown lingerie, and whispered in his ear:

“Hey stranger.”

Their lips hurriedly met, and the world faded out to a haze of black. 

\----------

Multiple kisses, a ripped shirt, and several minutes later, Raquel found herself in her dressing room, naked, on the couch, breathless, and was pretty sure that she would get fired soon after this.

She just slept with her photographer.

The worst part is, it wasn’t just any photographer. It was Sergio Marquina. The brother of the CEO. The man that every model here lusted after. On top of that, she somehow had the audacity to flirt with him, give him her number, kiss him, and sleep with him in her dressing room. As if her life wasn’t as fucked up as it already is.

She turned her head to meet Sergio's eyes, looking at her intently, as if he couldn’t understand something.

“Hey,” she turned and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay? I’m really sorry, that probably wasn’t the best way to introduce myself to you.” She gave him a small smile, but strangely, there was no reaction from him whatsoever. His face was blank, but there was a hint of satisfaction and discomfort written as lightly as possible. As if he didn’t just bring her to orgasm twice.

Before Raquel could even comprehend what was happening, Sergio removed himself off of her and started putting his clothes back on and apologizing profusely.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Murillo. This was clearly an accident and I understand if you never want to speak to me again. Good luck at the agency. I’ll put in a good word for you.” He gave her a shy and apologetic smile before walking out of the room. Raquel didn’t even have a chance to say anything before he shut the door, the sound ringing in her ears.

Did he just... Leave her?  
\-----


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shaken by what happened a week ago, Sergio gets on a flight to Switzerland while Raquel parties her way through the rejection. Will they be able to ever cross paths again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buenas noches bitches!! Here's my new (well, actually, old) update today. Less of Sergio and Raquel together, but a lot of the other characters make an appearance! Here's to finally writing other characters in the show. I love you all, and follow my twitter if you haven't yet! @alvarosbabyy

_ “Oh, Sergio.” _

_ “Raquel.” _ _  
  
_

_ He reached out to touch her, not believing she was real. All her clothes were gone, thrown somewhere on the floor, and all he had to do now was go up to her, and she could be his again. She looked breathtaking, goddess-like, ethereal. He brought his lips to hers, drinking her in, and the world finally felt right again. No distractions, nothing that could keep them apart. It was just him, her, and- _

He woke up with a start. His eyes drearily adjusted to the reality of the world before him, which, sadly, had no Raquel in it, but instead was replaced with the sight of the Los Angeles International Airport. It was clearly a busy day for everyone, with businessmen walking around, talking on their phones to small families trying to get their child to stop crying. 

Sergio loved to travel, but this was one of his least favorite parts of the journey, and would probably never grow to like it. He looked up at the massive screen before him that displayed each plane’s departure time. To his delight, his flight to Switzerland was scheduled to leave in 30 minutes, which meant that in a while, he could finally leave the hell that was Los Angeles.

_ Hell didn’t seem so bad when you slept with Raquel. _

He shook his head, clearing his mind of  _ those  _ thoughts, and proceeded to get up from the seat he was waiting on and started walking towards his flight gate. Raquel was the last thing he needed to think about, considering that she would probably never want to speak to him again about the horrible stunt he pulled a week ago. In his defense, sleeping with a random model in her dressing room wasn’t exactly something Sergio did daily, and when the reality of what he did finally set in a few minutes after it happened, it was simply too much to deal with.

However, he did see the expression on her face right as he left the room, and she looked almost…  _ hurt,  _ like she wanted him to stay. Sergio had slept with plenty of women before, but the difference between those women and Raquel was that he didn’t feel anything with the past hookups he had, but he  _ certainly  _ felt something with Raquel that day. After running back to his apartment, he realized that what he did was absolutely horrible. Now, he would never get a chance to make it up to her.

_ At least you got to experience it once. It never would’ve worked out anyway. _

As he gave the flight attendant his tickets, the phone tucked into his right pocket immediately began vibrating. He took it out, and checked the caller ID: Andres. 

_ What in the world could he possibly want? It’s 9 in the morning. _

Sighing, he reluctantly picked up the phone and answered the call just in time to hear a loud blast come from the speaker.

“ _ Hermanito _ ! Glad to see you picked up. I need your help, it’s an emergency. Come back to the house.”

“Andres, as much as I would love to help you, I’m currently boarding my flight. I can’t just go back.”

“Of course you can. Please? It’s an emergency.”

“From a scale of one to ten, how bad is it exactly?”   
  


“Eleven. Now can you  _ please  _ come over?”

Sergio looked up at the flight attendant, who was slightly annoyed at him for holding up the line. He looked behind to the line of people waiting for him, all with the same expression. He muttered an apology and stepped out, going back out to the front of the airport and hailing a taxi.

_ Guess hell isn’t done with you just yet. _

\--------

As the familiar glass walls of RESISTENCIA’s building came into Raquel’s line of sight, she quickly wondered why she didn’t just take another week in the Bahamas. This building basically represented all the stress in Raquel’s life, from the packed schedule to the judgmental models, and  _ Sergio. _

The latter took up 50% of her current stress.

After Sergio got up and left her in the dressing room, Raquel was absolutely mortified. To her, this meant that he wasn’t feeling the same things she was, and that he probably just entered her room in the first place for a quick fuck.

Normally, this wouldn’t matter much to Raquel, because that type of person was exactly what she was looking for: a quick fuck. Emotions, dating, and romance in general was never something Raquel prioritized. Most people in the first place couldn’t stand her. She can never stay in one place for too long, and gets bored very easily. One night stands were her way of releasing her stress without any strings attached, which made the idea of it extremely appealing.

But with Sergio, it was as if her heart  _ felt  _ something for the first time. Everything with him felt right; the way he kissed her, how he held her as if she was something to be treasured, not ruined. No other guy has ever treated her the same way, and they barely even  _ spoke  _ to one another. So when he left, Raquel’s hope for something more broke into two. Of  _ course,  _ men like him didn’t have time for her. The good ones never do.

Then, there was the other problem: his position in the company. Something Raquel absolutely  _ dreaded  _ was the thought of coming back to the agency and having to answer every model’s questions about Sergio.  _ “How handsome was he?”  _ or “ _ Oh, he must be amazing in bed.”  _ Just because Raquel could answer both questions doesn’t mean she wanted to. Relationships weren’t exactly banned in the agency, as Señor Fonollosa has a new model on his lap every week, but something Raquel absolutely couldn’t stand was people thinking she got to her position because of a  _ man _ , not because she was good at her job. 

And so, when her parents offered her a week away from her problems in the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas, Raquel didn’t even need a second glance to accept. Before she started to take things seriously and become a professional model, Raquel’s life was centered around shopping in Beverly Hills in the afternoon, meeting up with her friends for dinner, then proceeding to go to the nearest club they could find and get absolutely  _ wasted.  _ It was a time when Raquel had nothing to worry about, because wherever she wound up, her parents would always manage to pick her up again. 

But after years and years of constantly being pampered, Raquel finally decided to make it on her own without her parents constantly offering help. The celebrity world judged her enough for her background as it was, and she was sick and tired of using her last name’s influence to get what she wanted. 

So when the news came out that RESISTENCIA was hiring new models, she was one of the first ones to apply. Somehow, even with their strict audition process, she got in, and while she may not like the environment of the place sometimes, it offered her refuge from the mess that was her personal life. The week in the Bahamas was simply a throwback to who she once was before, but she is no longer that irresponsible little girl. She is now  _ Raquel Murrilo _ , about to take the modeling world by storm.

If only everyone else believed so.

As the sliding doors of the building let her in, she was greeted by the familiar sight that was RESISTENCIA. Monica sitting by the front desk, the coffee shop on the right side of the building, and her best friend in the agency: Silene Oliviera. Silene was a Japanese-American model who sat next to Raquel during her audition, and when they got accepted together, the girls never stayed apart. She was there since the beginning, and Raquel was blessed to find a friend like her in this terrifying place.

“Silene!” She quickly ran to her friend, her eyes immediately lighting up upon seeing her. They shared a quick hug, then quickly walked up to the elevators, going to the dressing room to meet the other models.

“Girl, I  _ cannot  _ believe you left me like that. For a week! Do you know how absolutely exhausting it is to listen to Agata about how ¨fat¨ she’s getting everyday? I swear that woman has the fastest metabolism i’ve ever seen. She probably couldn’t gain weight even if she wanted to.”

“I’m sorry, Silene, but you know how much I needed it. I’ve been so tense these past few weeks, with the first runway coming up and all the photoshoots I’ve been doing-”

“Don’t worry babe, I completely understand. Next time when Agata asks us to rant with her though, you are  _ so  _ going to be the one who refuses.” They laughed together at that, while the elevator finally reached their floor. 

Greeting them was the sight of the model lounge, filled with beautiful women hanging around by the bar, getting a salad by the buffet, or gossiping about the newest celebrity scandal by the couches. It was Raquel’s favorite place in the whole building, as the pastel minimalist vibe of the room provided a happy, safe atmosphere. 

Silene tugged on her arm, and looked to the right to meet the rest of their friend group: Agata Jimenez, the Kenyan model that  _ always  _ graced the cover of magazines in the summer season, and Alicia Sierra, one of the senior models in the industry whose Russian blood outlasted the beauty of everyone else’s. Each model in the agency brought something new to the table, and it's understandable why RESISTENCIA’S audition process was so strict. They only accepted the best.

Alicia and Agata gave the two women small waves as they walked towards the pink couch in the corner of the lounge, where they were currently sitting. Alicia had a lollipop in her hand, while Agata was going off about her latest photoshoot again.

“And so he told me to pose closer to the left, and I did! But somehow he still wasn’t satisfied. How the hell did he expect me to move freely, I was underwater!” She quickly stopped when Raquel and Silene arrived at the couch, standing up to give them kisses on both cheeks. “Oh, I missed you two! Raquel was partying somewhere all week, and Silene’s schedule was so busy I barely had time to give her the vegan cupcakes I made.”

Alicia stood up and mirrored Agata’s actions, smiling at the both of them. When Raquel and Silene first arrived with the newer batch of models, the two senior models did not hesitate to befriend them quickly. The more friends you have in this industry, the more powerful you are, and Raquel needed all the companions she could get in a place where everyone did nothing but gossip about you. 

They sat down on the opposite couch, and Alicia gave Raquel a sinister smile, clearly about to do something dangerous. 

“So, Raquel, how was your first shoot with Señor Marquina?”

There was a loud gasp coming from the two other models, and Raquel lowered her head in embarrassment. She knew this moment was coming, but it didn’t make it any less easier to face.

“It was… nice.”

Both Agata and Silene let out a small scream, which caused some of the other models to cast suspicious looks at them. The two immediately quieted down, with Raquel letting out a small giggle. Those two could never shut up.

“Why didn’t you tell us you had a shoot with him!?” Agata whispered.

“How was he?” Silene asked. “I know he’s extremely handsome, but is he the type of handsome that you want to bring home and fuck, or cuddle and watch movies with?” 

Ignoring the questions, Raquel cast a suspicious look at Alicia, who was still sucking on that red lollipop of hers. “Wait. Alicia, how did you know I had a photoshoot with him in the first place?” Alicia’s smug face quickly turned into one of embarrassment, lowering her head while Silene and Agata stared at her in confusion.

There was a moment of silence. “You slept with him again, didn’t you?”

Alicia blushed, and that was all it took for the three other girls to start freaking out all over again.

Almost everyone in the agency was aware that something was going on between Alicia and Andres, but was too scared to say anything in fear of Alicia hurting them. The woman was  _ scary _ when needed be. 

“In my defense, we were both drunk. And you know how Andres gets when he’s intoxicated, he starts spilling all his secrets! So there was something about Mirko getting arrested, Sofia Falcone falling down the stage after her Grammys acceptance speech, and the fact that he asked his brother to lead your first photoshoot. I,  _ obviously _ , was shocked, mainly because in the history of RESISTENCIA I have never heard of Señor Marquina attending a model’s  _ first  _ photoshoot-”

“Yeah!” Agata said, interrupting Alicia’s monologue. “I had been wanting Señor Marquina as my photographer for  _ years,  _ but Andres never called him on until my very first Harper’s Bazaar shoot. Damn, Raquel, you are so lucky!”

By now, gears were turning in Raquel’s brain. She couldn’t possibly understand why Señor Fonollosa would ask Sergio to attend her very first shoot, as she  _ was  _ still a beginner when it came to the art of modeling. Why would he go out of his way to do that for her?   
  
Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by Silene poking her shoulder. “Raquel, did you hear us? We were asking you what you’re wearing to the party.”

Now  _ that  _ got her attention. “What party?”

“RESISTENCIA’s 10th anniversary party, Raquel! It’s the most anticipated party of the year. Rumor is Señor Fonollosa bought 12 ice statues to be placed around the venue. Who the fuck does that?” Agata clearly seemed excited, as were the rest of the girls. However, for Raquel, there was one little problem.

“Will Señor Marquina be there?”

“Oh, probably not, he never attends these types of events, they’re way too grand for him--” Agata stopped rambling, a realization forming on her face. She turned to Raquel, and pointed a finger towards her in accusation.

“You like him, don’t you?” The three girls turned to face Raquel, while her mind struggled to find an excuse to get herself out of this interrogation. 

“No, of course not! We barely spoke throughout the shoot, and he isn’t really my type anyway.”

_ If only they knew. _

None of them seemed to believe it either, but thankfully, Silene changed the subject. “So Raquel, you  _ will  _ be attending the party, right?”   
  


There was no going back now. “Of course I will.” The girls seemed satisfied with that answer, and proceeded to talk about Agata’s new diet. Raquel, still lost in her own thoughts, was not as relaxed as they were.

_ What the hell did I just agree to? _

\---------

Sergio quickly ran up the stairs of Andres’ multi-million dollar mansion, trying to figure out where his brother was located. The house was the size of a mall, and was practically impossible to navigate without help. Even though he’s been here multiple times, it never fails to amaze Sergio how many times he’s gotten lost.

Eventually, he found the room Andres’ housekeeper told him about, and flung the door open to find Andres calmly choosing between two blazers in front of his closet mirror.

“What happened!?” Sergio asked, clearly worried about what happened to his brother.

“Oh, nothing. I just needed you back here.” Andres gave him a small smile, with no hint of guilt whatsoever, and Sergio felt as if he wanted to explode into pieces.

“Andres, I missed my  _ flight.  _ And all because what, you needed me back here to choose clothes for you?”   
  


“No, because something you may have forgotten is that the 10 year anniversary of RESISTENCIA is in two days, and you are  _ required  _ to attend this time.”

Sergio sighed, putting a hand to his forehead, exhausted by the fact that he and his brother have to argue about this for the nth time. “Andres, I haven’t been attending those parties for the past three years. What makes this one so important that i need to go?” Finally, he had Andres’ full attention. 

“ _ Hermanito _ , I have been making excuses for your absence all the years you disappeared from us. This year cannot be the time for that. Every celebrity ever will be attending this party, and for appearance’s sake, I need you there by my side. The last thing we need are more nasty rumors circulating again.”

“But Andres--” His brother held up a hand, keeping him quiet. “You’ll be attending. End of story. And while you’re at it, make sure to ask Raquel out on a date okay? God knows the woman was miserable after you left her after that shoot. Did you do anything with her?” He cast a look at Sergio, and if he was angry before, he certainly wanted to kill his brother now. 

“I’ll be going. And the day after, I’ll be gone for two months.”

“Deal. And the Raquel thing?”

“Oh,  _ shut up. _ ”

\---------

After adjusting his tie for the very last time, Sergio finally felt he was ready to step out and join the party. These type of things were never easy for him, as most people in general made him uncomfortable. The main goal was to make small talk for a while, give the welcoming speech with Andres, and then find a way to get the hell out of there as fast as possible.

He got out of his limousine, and the first thing that he sees are the flashing lights coming from the paparazzi on the red carpet, fans asking for autographs from the passing celebrities, security guards scattered around the venue, and a small group of models chatting around the corner. Suddenly, like a scene out of a movie, one of the models turned her head to meet his, and their eyes locked immediately.

Sergio felt as if he was transported back to last week’s photoshoot, when they first met. She somehow looked even more radiant than before, and his mouth went dry, as the tension surrounding them seemed to rise.

It was her.

_ Raquel _ .

\----------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to chloe, the best friend i could ever have from across the pond. i love you so so much.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the 20th anniversary of RESISTENCIA begins, the tension between Sergio and Raquel reach a breaking point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi bitches! I'm back with another chapter for you all. I hope you guys enjoy jealous Sergio as much as I do ;) while I'm updating this fic over here on AO3, I'm working on a new one-shot for you guys as well! I'll post it sooner or later when I finish, but for now, enjoy this instead <3

_ He’s here. _

Wait. He’s here!?

Raquel almost couldn’t believe that the man looking at her from afar was Sergio. It’s like the gods wanted to  _ punish  _ her in any way, shape, or form. The past week and a half was dedicated to forgetting what transpired between the two of them, and right as she was finally getting over it, over  _ him _ , he came back.

_ What an asshole. _

Even if all she wanted to do was go up to him and give him a piece of her mind, she just stood there like a deer in the headlights. The initial attraction that put them together once before was still there, and it somehow became even stronger, more addicting with the time they spent apart. Even with the camera flashes, the loud music coming from the inside of the venue, the paparazzi shouting out questions, nothing else seemed significant when he stared at her like that. There was a voice inside Raquel’s brain telling her to  _ run;  _ run far away from this man, but it was no use against the connection they had.

His appearance made it even worse, in that dark maroon suit with the first three buttons of his dress-shirt unfastened.  _ It must be some sort of sin to look like that,  _ Raquel thought. There was nothing she wanted more than to go up to him and take him like she did in her dressing room a week prior, but sadly, it was not what fate planned.

“Raquel, come on! The seats are filling up inside. We have to go.” Silene pulled Raquel out of her trance, and only when she nearly bumped into another model did she realize that he somehow managed to enchant her again, even after all he did.

_ He wouldn’t be getting away with it next time.  _

\--------

If there was anything Andres knew how to do, it was throw a party.

Sergio gradually got used to the fact that Andres was the extrovert in their dynamic, and that when he threw a party, his first instinct was to not attend in the first place. They were usually grand, loud, and everything he disliked in life; this party was no exception. Even Sergio could see that Andres had outdone himself with this high-profile event. Dancers dressed as demons were entertaining the guests in the center, while the food buffet extended to the other side of the building. Waiters, security guards, and celebrities crowded the place, with the models walking over to each table to say hi and make small talk. 

_ Raquel is one of those models. _

If Sergio was being completely honest with himself, Raquel was the main reason he wanted to leave early. Seeing her in that gorgeous red dress, with a tempting slit on the side, made Sergio crave for her even more than he did the previous week. Talking to her would mean having to explain why he left, and Sergio was  _ definitely  _ not in the mood for that. So the main focus here was on the event at hand, and not how her outfit made him want to recreate the dressing room scenario all over again.

The theme of this year's anniversary was hell, which meant the entire venue was decorated from head to toe in black & red. Andres wanted people to be the rawest versions of themselves in this party, showing everyone what they truly feel and desire.

Looking back, Sergio wondered if this was all just a ruse for him to hook up with Raquel again. Did Andres see through him that well? Was his desire for her  _ really _ that visible? He wouldn’t have put it past his brother to alter the theme last-minute for a hidden purpose.

He didn’t have much time to dwell on the thought, because the minute he entered the room, Andres was ready to introduce him to a number of guests in the party, famous names Sergio had no idea about. While his brother regularly kept tabs of everything happening in Los Angeles, Sergio couldn't care less. His presence here was simply for appearance’s sake, nothing more. At least he thought so.

“ _ Hermanito _ ! This is Suarez, one of our biggest investors. I take it you haven’t had the chance to meet each other?   
  


Sergio looked up at the man standing in front of him, shaking his hand and giving him a small smile. Suarez looked like those types of men who would bully you for not being “manly” enough, with his huge build and tall height. Sergio never liked speaking to men like him, and as Suarez started talking, he began looking for some way to escape the discussion.

“So Andres,” Suarez began after talking about the predicted profits for RESISTENCIA in the coming year, “There’s this model I saw walking around earlier. Short, Spanish,  _ extremely  _ hot. Do you have any idea who she is?”

“Oh, you mean Raquel Murrilo?”

Sergio immediately began focusing on the conversation at hand, his irritation slowly rising the more Suarez spoke. How  _ dare he _ blatantly talk about Raquel like that, as if she was some sort of object, not an actual human being. All the respect he had for Suarez quickly went down the drain (there wasn’t much of it in the first place), and was extremely close to giving him a concussion.

“So I was wondering, could you give me her number or something? I’d take her out for a bit, spend the night with her, and of  _ course _ I’d be giving an extra donation to the agency after--”

“Sorry to interrupt, but unlike other agencies, we don’t  _ pimp  _ out our models to men. It is disrespectful and degrading to the women, and if you want to do that, I’d prefer you go to a brothel rather than continue berating our models like this.” Sergio tried his best to keep calm while saying all this, but all he was thinking about was punching Suarez in the face and kicking him out of the party. 

Andres gave him a proud look, and Suarez looked like he had been hit in the head. 

“Forgive me, gentlemen, that was not my intention. I’ll be leaving now.” Suarez walked away, and while Andres gave him a small wave, Sergio felt the urge to give him the middle finger. Once he was completely out of earshot though, Andres punched his shoulder.

“ _ Ow _ ! What was that for?”   
  


“Sergio, he’s our biggest investor.  _ Biggest _ .”   
  


“I don't give two shits. He was treating them as if they were objects-”

“He was treating  _ them  _ as objects? Or just Raquel?”

Sergio stopped. While he would’ve been mad at the thought of Suarez treating any of the models like that, his anger increased tenfold thinking about Raquel being harassed by him. It suddenly dawned on Sergio that he was  _ jealous _ . He shouldn’t be jealous for God’s sake, when he barely had the courage to even go and talk to Raquel in the first place. But just  _ imagining  _ her with another man made Sergio's blood boil.

“It doesn’t matter. We have enough money, and we certainly don’t need another man-child to give us more. Now  _ come on _ , we need to start our speech.”

Andres reluctantly ended the conversation as he and Sergio walked onto the main stage, where they were scheduled to give their welcoming remarks in a few minutes. Out of all the things he was made to do today, this takes the top spot for being his least favorite. Sergio could barely talk to people in the first place, so an  _ entire  _ room of the most important people in the city did absolutely nothing to help ease his anxiety. He could only hope and pray he doesn’t mess up mid-speech.

The moment they stepped forward, the lights came on, and it was showtime.

“Hello everyone!” Andres said, with a round of applause coming from the guests below them. “I am Andres Fonollosa, CEO of RESISTENCIA, and this is my brother, Sergio, and together we are so delighted to welcome you to our 10th anniversary celebration!” More applause came from the guests, and Sergio had never been more proud of his older brother.

“Andres and I started this company with nothing but an old house, my camera, and his ex-girlfriend willing to model for us.” Andres and the audience laughed at that, the memory seemingly distant, so long ago. “Now we have grown into the biggest modeling agency in Los Angeles, and without all of your amazing support, none of this would’ve ever happened. We are so thankful to the companies that hire us, the investors who believe in us, and of course, our amazing models that each have unique talents, making them the best in the industry.”

His eyes roamed along the crowd of people listening below them, and as he ended his part of the speech, Raquel suddenly entered his line of sight. She looked right back at him with a hint of ignorance and contempt in her eyes.

_ Rightfully so, after you left her like that. _

“Again, thank you all so much for coming, and I hope you enjoy this temporary journey into the land of hell.” Andres ended the speech with a smile and a wink, and the whole crowd went crazy. Sergio always wondered how his brother managed to capture the audience like that.

They stepped off the stage, and the party officially began. Andres hired the best DJ in Los Angeles to host the party. As the spotlights went down, and were replaced with red beams of light, the volume of the music gradually rose until Sergio could barely hear anyone’s voice over the thumping of the bass and the rhythm of the beat.

The worst part about all this was that with the lights down, Sergio couldn’t find his way to the exit he had planned for himself before the beginning of the party. By going through the floor plan of the venue with Andres a day prior, he had found a small tunnel leading out to the other side of the street, perfect for an escape. Sergio had no idea why there was a tunnel here in the first place, but instead of questioning it, he decided to stay oblivious, thankful for the fact that there was someplace he could leave discreetly.

At last, he found the door leading to the tunnel on the other side of the room, and proceeded to walk into the big crowd of people, trying to hide from Andres. Everyone was dancing, the smell of alcohol and smoke mixed into the air, and Sergio almost couldn’t stand the sensations it brought with it. It was too much.

Although, looking back, none of those things mattered much when he saw what happened next.

The dim red lights did absolutely nothing to hide the  _ vision  _ that was Raquel. In that  _ sinful  _ red dress of hers, dancing along to the beat, a sight that Sergio would never want to stop seeing for the rest of his life. 

The only part about this that was wrong is, she wasn’t dancing by herself.

Even with his back turned to Sergio, he could clearly see the outline of Suarez’s body dancing alongside her, touching and doing things that were so horrifying Sergio couldn’t even begin to describe it. To his misery, Raquel seemed to actually be  _ enjoying  _ him do these things, and he was even more sure that the gods loathed him now, as he wasn’t prepared for what comes next. 

Raquel caught his eyes once more, and she winked at him.

_ Winked. _

Suddenly, Sergio realized that all this was her attempt to  _ tease _ him. She didn’t want Suarez dancing all over her, she wanted to make him jealous. Raquel was playing a dangerous game, one that Sergio wouldn’t play for anyone but her.

_ She wanted a game? Well, he would give her one. _

\-------

Raquel was bored. Really, that’s the only reason why she did it. The three other girls went off dancing and left her all alone in the middle of the bar, without anyone to talk to. They asked her if she wanted to join them, of course, but Raquel had other plans.

The entire time Sergio was up on stage, not _once_ did she see any guilt in his eyes when he looked at her. He could’ve at least felt somewhat bad for leaving her alone in the dressing room last week, but he didn’t.

What Raquel planned to do was make him  _ regret it _ .

It was obvious that Sergio still wanted her. Any person with eyes could see it. While he may not have the balls to go up to her and say so, Raquel’s a woman who knows what she wants. It wasn’t hard to find a man to dance with her in this huge crowd of guests, and while she may not even know his name, he looked like the perfect guy to make Sergio jealous.

After a few minutes of dancing with him though, she was starting to get discouraged. What if Sergio already left the party? Or, even worse, what if he simply  _ didn’t care _ ?

All those thoughts flew out the window when she spotted him, a few meters away, staring at her. He looked angry, confused, and if Raquel could read his mind right now, she was pretty sure he wanted to punch the guy dancing with her in the face.

_ As he should, after all he did.  _

She gave him a wink, and it was all it took for him to walk up to them, push the guy away, and grab her hand to drag her along with him. They arrived at a door, which he flung open, and before Raquel even knew it, she was pinned against the wall, Sergio breathing down her neck.

“Did you like that?” His grip on her waist tightened and for a moment, Raquel was scared that she had gone too far.

“ _ Never  _ do that again.”

“And what would happen if I did? You made it very clear you didn’t want to be with me-”

“I never said that.”   
  


“Then why did you leave?”   
  


His eyes darkened, their faces slowly getting closer together. Raquel could feel every breath he took, the temperature in this room suddenly getting a little too hot for her. He looked at her up and down, his desire becoming much more prominent, and Raquel was starting to wonder if he’d ever make a move.

“You deserve better,” was his final response.

Raquel looked at him incredulously. Did he  _ really  _ just say that?

“I’m a man who doesn’t usually form relationships with people, and the thought of me hurting you was too much for me to handle, so I thought that it was best if I left before causing you any more distress-”

She captured his lips with hers, the point he was making getting more stupid the more she thought about it. All along she thought he didn’t want her, but the real reason made him so much more _ attractive _ , and all Raquel desired as of this second is for him to  _ shut up _ .

And take her to bed, of course.

The kiss deepened as she felt something poke her stomach, and after they separated, the sound of their heavy breathing filled the room. It felt just as right as it was during that very first time in the dressing room. 

“You know this is a mistake,” he said as a precaution, but it was no use now.

Raquel was indeed, well aware of that. But as she leaned in to kiss him again, she knew that it was a mistake she would gladly commit for the rest of her life.

And so they made that mistake. Over, and over, and  _ over  _ again.

\-------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for my fandom moms, kat, jo, and corny. i love you three so so much.


	4. chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio wakes up the morning after, in a house that is definitely not his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> buenas noches bitches! i'm back! i sorta forgot i was ever posting this story here in the first place, so im extremely sorry to all the people that were waiting 😅 anyway, i'm back with some serquel fluff! enjoy 🥰

Something was off.

  


The first thing Sergio noticed when he stirred is that  _ no _ , this certainly wasn’t his apartment, and  _ yes _ , there is definitely a body lying beside him.

  


A few years ago, Sergio wouldn’t be surprised to have woken up like this, because it was his nightly routine for a  _ very  _ long time; a new girl every night, clothes on the floor, a few hours of fun, and he would end up having to kick her out of his house a few minutes after.

  


As the memories of last night came rushing back in, he was reminded that he hasn’t been in his 20’s for quite a while now, and the woman that was sleeping beside him was not just any girl. This was Raquel Murillo, and  _ damn  _ him for falling into her trap once again.

  


He turned his head, and there she was, in all her glory. She looked so calm, so  _ beautiful,  _ while she slept. The subconscious part of his mind telling him to leave had less impact on his body the more he saw her like this, and even if he knew that she would probably hate him after this, he just  _ couldn’t  _ stay. His flight was in a few hours, and God forbid he would miss it a  _ second  _ time.

  


So as quietly as he could, he lifted himself off the bed and gathered his clothes, trying his best not to disturb Raquel, who was still fast asleep. When he finished, he looked back at her one last time, just to imprint her beauty in his memory before he left for Los Angeles once more, never to see her again.

  


He exited the bedroom, took in his surroundings, and came to the conclusion that this was  _ not just _ an apartment. Sergio had no idea Raquel lived in a huge and lavish mansion. Come to think of it, he shouldn’t have been that surprised. The night before was a huge blur to him, hence him never really noticing this, but based off the marble countertops, gold curtains, and the huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling, Raquel wasn’t just an ordinary aspiring model.

  


Thankfully, the house seemed empty, which meant that no one was present to see his walk of shame. He made his way downstairs, and while he had no idea where he was, Sergio was sure that he’d find  _ some  _ way to make it to LAX in a few hours. All he needed to do was call Andres and send a driver over so he'd make it in time.

  


Meanwhile, he needed to find the front door of this house, which wasn't an easy task considering the size of the place. Much like the mansion of his brother's, places like this had multiple rooms and corridors which lead to different parts of the house, and Sergio had no way of knowing whether he was going in circles or not.

  


_ Jesus. This is why I bought an apartment. _

  


He passed what looked like a dining area, and more memories of the night before came flooding back into his memory.

  


_ We definitely did it there, and there, and there. What did I drink last night? _

  


Sergio made a small vow to himself to never lose control like that again. Raquel made him lose his mind with the smallest of provocations, and this revelation only sped up his desire to make it out of here, faster. There's no knowing what would happen if she woke up and found him.

  


_ Finally, the door. _

  


He made his way to the front of the house, phone in hand ready to call Andres' driver, until a voice behind him made him stop.

  


“What the  _ hell  _ are you doing?”

  


Shit.

  


\---------

  


This was not how Raquel Murillo envisioned her morning.

  


She expected to wake up in the warm comfort of Sergio’s arms, as the morning sun shone through her curtains, maybe a small kiss here and there, that would eventually lead to morning sex.

  


What she did  _ not  _ envision was to wake up in her bed  _ alone _ , while the man she slept with was trying to run away from her. 

  


_ Again. _

  


As she confronted him once more, he stammered out some sort of excuse, but Raquel wasn’t having it. She was tired, a little bit hungover, and was definitely  _ not ready  _ to argue with him this early in the morning.

  


“Were you really just about to leave me again?”

  


“Raquel, I have a flight-”   
  


“What do you  _ mean  _ you have a flight?”   
  


He gave her a look. “I never stay in Los Angeles for longer than necessary. The only reason I came here in the first place was for you, but now that everything is finished, I need to travel again.” He gave her a look, pleading,  _ begging  _ her to understand, but Raquel was tired of him running away.

  


She walked towards him, his nervousness visibly increasing the more steps she took. Finally, she was in front of him, and as she tiptoed to whisper in his ear, she prayed that this would have  _ some  _ effect on him, because she wanted him to stay.  _ Badly. _

  


_ “If you came here for me, why not stay for the same reason?” _

  


Sergio gulped, and she knew at that moment, she had the upper hand. Sergio leaned in for a kiss, and  _ God _ , was she thankful that he decided to stay, at least for a few seconds more. The kiss deepened, and as his hand wrapped around her waist to pull her closer, she slowly let go of his lips, both of them smiling in the process.

  


“So….” she began. “Breakfast?”

  
  
  


Even though Raquel had  _ known _ for a fact that Sergio was talented at many things, cooking breakfast was definitely not one she had expected. For the first time in (most) of her years of living, going out to eat wasn’t necessary. The kitchen smelled amazing even from the distance of her bathroom, and once she finished showering, she entered the kitchen, sat down on the bar, and took the delightful scent in.

  


“That smells  _ delicious _ .”

  


“Well, after traveling for most of your life, you begin to realize not everything out there tastes good.” He gave her a small chuckle and a smile, and Raquel decided right there and then that  _ this  _ was her favorite side of Sergio; not the shy one, not the jealous one—just the carefree, relaxed, happy Sergio. Even though she didn’t mind the other two, butterflies filled her stomach at the fact that he was comfortable enough to show this side to her, and she planned to enjoy it as much as she could.

  


As he set the food down, two cheese omelettes with a side of avocado, bacon, and coffee, a question popped into Raquel’s mind.

  


“So,  _ Señor Marquina _ , why do you like traveling so much?”

  


He sat down on the chair opposite to her, cringed slightly at the name (which she thought was adorable), and shrugged. “There wasn’t much for me here.” Her heart fluttered, smiling at the use of the past tense. “Raquel, people usually stress me out, and when I travel, they don’t get the chance to burden me with things I don’t want. You know my brother--” she gave him a nod, and he continued, “and while he craves the lifestyle this city brings, I don’t. Simple as that.”

  


She observed him for a moment as she began eating, and while he  _ seemed  _ like a man who would enjoy being around other people, the emotion in his eyes made her realize he was being serious. 

  


"And you?" he interrupted her train of thought. "How come you live in such a huge place all by yourself?"

  


"There wasn't really much of a choice of where I could stay." She laughed, thinking about the argument she had with her parents over this  _ precise  _ topic. "This house isn't actually mine, it belongs to my parents. They prefer to keep me safe here in LA, rather than send me off to another country where I could mess up in some other way. I've lived here my whole life, so it's hard to imagine me living anywhere else."

  


"Don't you ever get…. I don't know, tired? Of being in the same place?" Sergio looked at her in confusion, probably wondering how she stayed sane. 

  


_ She always wondered the same thing as well. _

  


"If I'm being honest, it's been a long-time dream of mine to move out and become like you-- see the world, make new friends, explore different cities, and cultures--"

  


"You could always come with me."

  


They both froze, Sergio looking as if he regretted all his life choices leading up to this moment while Raquel's heart  _ stopped _ .

  


"I mean, only if you want to, I'm sorry for assuming, I would never ask anyone to do something like that--"

  


She relaxed at that, coming to the realization that he wasn't asking for anything immediately. "Sergio, it's okay." she put her hand on top of his, smiling at him as she did so. "I would  _ love  _ to travel with you." his face lit up in response, and Raquel wanted to soar to the heavens. 

  


_ She made him smile like that. _

  


"And plus," she continued. "I'm not most people, am I?” She walked over to the other side of the bar, Sergio's arms waiting for her, and she gave him a small peck on the lips.

  


"No, no you aren't." they laughed mid kiss, Sergio stopping to cup her face. "You are Raquel Murillo, the woman who slept with me three hours after we met."

  


"And  _ you're  _ Sergio Marquina, the brother of my boss who  _ allowed  _ me to sleep with him three hours after we met." The statement was met with more giggles from the both of them, and if Raquel ever got the opportunity to preserve a moment, it would be this one.

  


The peace they had shared was interrupted at that  _ exact  _ moment by a voice coming outside the kitchen.

  


" _ Buenos dias, _ darling! Why does it smell so good in here?"

  


\-------

  


“Silene!?”

  


_ Who in the world is Silene?  _

  


Raquel got off him as quickly as quickly as possible, which prompted Sergio to wonder who  _ exactly  _ this woman was. She was dressed in a bathrobe with matching fluffy slippers, an apple in one hand and a Starbucks drink in the other.

  


_ Does she live here? _

  


“Silene, I promise it isn’t what it looks like--”

  


“Babe, we knew from the moment you came back from the Bahamas. No one is surprised here. Hi!” Silene walked up to him, and while Sergio was still extremely confused about the situation, he still managed to be polite.

  


“I’m Silene Oliviera. I work with Raquel in the agency, and while I would say I’m shocked that you’re here, I’m really not.” She held a hand out for him to shake, and as he took it, Sergio realized this may be the weirdest morning of his life.

  


“Well, now that we’re properly acquainted, I’ll be leaving now.  _ Ciao _ ! Also Raquel, I left Agata’s vegan cookies for you in the living room. Have fun with Señor Marquina!” And just as quickly as she came, Silene was gone. Not really understanding what just happened, Raquel gave him a guilty look.

  


“So, Silene lives here?”

  


“Yeah. I’m so sorry about that, I really had no idea she was going to barge in like that, she usually hops from house to house--”

  


“Raquel, it’s fine. Now  _ come back here _ .”She gave him one of those huge smiles he adored, and jumped right back into his arms.  _ God,  _ this was a perfect day.

  


They settled into a small embrace, Raquel’s head tucked into his neck. He must be so stupid to try to run away again like that. How could he even think of going, when this was so much better? Sergio felt happier than he has been in a long time, all because of her.

  


“What time’s your flight? 

  


He checked his watch, the time reading, 10:30am. “It’s in three hours, which means I should probably be leaving soon.”

  


Raquel's response to that was to hug him tighter, and Sergio couldn’t help laughing.

  


“Sergio…. Could you just… Stay?”

  


He looked at her, and to his own surprise, he was seriously considering her offer. As much as the thought of finally leaving LA was tempting, he couldn’t just  _ leave  _ Raquel, at least not after what just happened.

  


“You would really want that?”

  


She fumbled with her sweater, searching for an answer to give him. “I know we don’t have an official label for... whatever this is, but I want it to happen. If you really want to leave, that’s okay, but I just really want to see you again and--”

  


“Done. I’ll stay.”

  


“ _ Really _ ?” 

  


“For you? Of course.” Somehow, Raquel looked even more radiant, and as she pulled him in for a kiss (or two), Sergio knew that in his heart, he made the right decision. 

  


\---------   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for rheana, my best cheerleader. know that i will always be here for you, as you are for me. love you so so much.

**Author's Note:**

> For Yels and Nicole, the two who inspired me to write this in the first place. No words can express how much I love you both.  
> Now update your fics please :D


End file.
